Zhen

"My name is Zhen Wang. I am a newcomer volunteer at NFAMC. I come from the northern part of China and I came to Canada in July, 2019.

I volunteer as an ESL tutor at NFAMC, and during the pandemic, I strive to continue my ESL tutoring with my students online at home. We have this online tutoring once a week, and so far, we have met each other twice. Both of us enjoy this experience since it provides connections with people during this tough time. Besides, I also help with the translation work at NFAMC. Due to the pandemic, many services are done online, that is why we need to provide several tips or suggestions about daily services like online banking.

The reason I love volunteering at NFAMC is that I am a kind of a newcomer as well. I could totally understand the confusion and challenges newcomers may encounter when they first arrive in Canada, especially with limited English level. Therefore, I want to provide my support, which gained me a considerable achievement. Besides, all the staff at NFAMC are so supportive and encouraging, making it a harmonious working environment. I really enjoy volunteering there!

The thing that I am grateful for is that NFAMC arranges this WhatsApp group for us volunteers to chat and share our mood and everyday life. Jillien greets us every morning, asking us what our plans are for the day, which makes us feel connected with someone here, especially since we are all newcomers to Canada.

The NFAMC cares about our mental health as well by sending us emails to share some useful tips to release stress as well as arrange some online meetings to provide a platform for us to mingle with people."